Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)

[Brahmsian]

Ray - I own the 'bargain' 2-CD set on Brilliant w/ the Zurich String Trio; recorded in 2002 - Jerry Dubin's comments quoted HERE - may put the first disc on next for our dinner music!  Dave 

That's the one I have too, Dave! 

[SonicMan46]

That's the one I have too, Dave! 

Ray - LOL!    Our paths may have crossed on this set before?  For myself, I'm happy w/ this one - Dave 

[Brahmsian]

Ray - LOL!    Our paths may have crossed on this set before?  For myself, I'm happy w/ this one - Dave 

Yes, I think you're right.  I think you were the one that recommended it to me.    Any fan of Beethoven, or chamber music in general should not forget these works, especially the Opus 9 trios. 

[bhodges]

Just got word of this concert in February, which is going to be broadcast live on radio and the Internet on WQXR.

Sunday, February 21, 2010, at 2:00 PM
Carnegie Hall

Orchestra of St. Luke's
Sir Roger Norrington, Conductor
Jessica Rivera, Soprano
Kelley O'Connor, Mezzo-Soprano
Eric Cutler, Tenor
Wayne Tigges, Bass-Baritone
Westminster Symphonic Choir
Joe Miller, Director

Haydn:  Symphony No. 99 in E-flat Major, H.1/99
Beethoven:  Symphony No. 9 in D minor, Op. 125 "Choral"

--Bruce

[dseegs]

I'm brand new to classical music in general. I downloaded beethoven's op.1 Piano trios 1-3 great stuff.
Is going through beethoven's opuses in order a good way to explore his compositions or do you think it's better to just jump around to whatever you get your hands on???

[MN Dave]

I'm brand new to classical music in general. I downloaded beethoven's op.1 Piano trios 1-3 great stuff.
Is going through beethoven's opuses in order a good way to explore his compositions or do you think it's better to just jump around to whatever you get your hands on???

Do whatever feels right. If you reach the 1st symphony and really dig it, then go right to the second one. If you start from the beginning and find yourself becoming bored, then maybe jump ahead to a more popular piece.

[Opus106]

I'm brand new to classical music in general. I downloaded beethoven's op.1 Piano trios 1-3 great stuff.
Is going through beethoven's opuses in order a good way to explore his compositions or do you think it's better to just jump around to whatever you get your hands on???

Most, if not all, people tend to jump around, starting in fact with a middle-period or late work. But that is not because it has been found to be an effective method of listening to his music, but more to do with the popularity of his later works. (This is the case with most other famous composers, not just Beethoven.) It would  probably be easier to get your hands on the middle or late works, given that some early ("minor") works might have been recorded only once or twice.

[Opus106]

Do whatever feels right.

Yes, this is what I would also suggest. My earlier post was more like a statement of facts, rather than an opinion.

[Brahmsian]

I'm brand new to classical music in general. I downloaded beethoven's op.1 Piano trios 1-3 great stuff.
Is going through beethoven's opuses in order a good way to explore his compositions or do you think it's better to just jump around to whatever you get your hands on???

Hi dseegs, and welcome aboard!!  As the others have stated, start wherever you like!  For Beethoven, I'll recommend pretty much anything.  If you like the piano and strings combo, try some more trios, or go to the piano concertos (all 5) and piano sonatas (Moonlight, Pathetique, Op.2 or Op.7, Appassionata, etc).

[Lethevich]

Do his opus 5 cello sonatas "officially" have two or three movements? I just noticed Wikipedia says that the first two "movements" indexed on many CDs are still technically one, leaving each piece with just two formal movements. This goes against what some CDs say, such as the Schiff ECM, which specifically call the movements I, I and III.

Edit: Ok that made no sense - rewrote it.

[Sergeant Rock]

Do his opus 5 cello sonatas "officially" have two or three movements?

Two movements: the first consisting of a slow introduction followed by the Allegro; second movement a Rondo.

Sarge

[Lethevich]

Thanks! Thanks seems to be a rare instance of when Wikipedia has been more reliable than record label notes.

[Gurn Blanston]

Yep, Sarge, as is often the case, is right on. I have noticed in passing that ALL of my PI versions call it 2 movements, but some of my modern versions go for 3. Why you would want to separate the introduction off into its own movement is beyond me, especially when it moves on without a pause.

[Gurn Blanston]

A tragi-comedic anecdote from the journal of Louis Spohr.

Beethoven was playing a new piano concerto of his, but already at the first 'tutti', forgetting that he was the soloist, he jumped up and began to conduct in his own peculiar fashion. At the first 'sforzando' he threw out his arms so wide that he knocked over both the lamps from the music stand of the piano. The audience laughed and Beethoven was so beside himself over this disturbance that he stopped the orchestra and made them start again. Seyfried, worried for fear that this would happen again in the same place, took the precaution of ordering two choir boys to stand next to Beethoven and to hold the lamps in their hands. One of them innocently stepped closer and followed the music from the piano part. But when the fatal 'sforzando' burst forth, the poor boy received from Beethoven's right hand such a sharp slap in the face that, terrified, he dropped the lamp on the floor. The other, more wary boy, who had been anxiously following Beethoven's movements, succeeded in avoiding the blow by ducking in time. If the audience had laughed the first time, they now indulged in a truly bacchanalian riot. Beethoven broke out in such a fury that when he struck the first chord of the solo he broke six strings. Every effort of the true music-lovers to restore calm and attention remained unavailing for some time; thus the first Allegro of the Concerto was completely lost to the audience. Since this accident, Beethoven wanted to give no more concerts.

[MN Dave]

Damned lamps.

[DavidW]

That was freaking hilarious!

[Gurn Blanston]

That was freaking hilarious!

Yes, I found it most amusing. BTW, IIRC, it was the 4th Piano Concerto, which I believe was the last piano work that he premiered in public (1808).

[Antoine Marchand]

A tragi-comedic anecdote from the journal of Louis Spohr.

Beethoven was playing a new piano concerto of his, but already at the first 'tutti', forgetting that he was the soloist, he jumped up and began to conduct in his own peculiar fashion. At the first 'sforzando' he threw out his arms so wide that he knocked over both the lamps from the music stand of the piano. The audience laughed and Beethoven was so beside himself over this disturbance that he stopped the orchestra and made them start again. Seyfried, worried for fear that this would happen again in the same place, took the precaution of ordering two choir boys to stand next to Beethoven and to hold the lamps in their hands. One of them innocently stepped closer and followed the music from the piano part. But when the fatal 'sforzando' burst forth, the poor boy received from Beethoven's right hand such a sharp slap in the face that, terrified, he dropped the lamp on the floor. The other, more wary boy, who had been anxiously following Beethoven's movements, succeeded in avoiding the blow by ducking in time. If the audience had laughed the first time, they now indulged in a truly bacchanalian riot. Beethoven broke out in such a fury that when he struck the first chord of the solo he broke six strings. Every effort of the true music-lovers to restore calm and attention remained unavailing for some time; thus the first Allegro of the Concerto was completely lost to the audience. Since this accident, Beethoven wanted to give no more concerts.

That was funny, touchingly pathetic. A great way to demystify some things, to bring them back to a human scale. Thanks, Gurn. 

[Gurn Blanston]

That was funny, touchingly pathetic. A great way to demystify some things, to bring them back to a human scale. Thanks, Gurn. 

Yr, welcome, Antoine. There is another story from Spohr about Beethoven's conducting. It doesn't have the tragic aspect that this one had (except that his deafness plays a part), it just makes a funny mental picture. I will find it tonight and type it up. Beethoven was a character all on his own, that's for sure!

[Franco]

Not since the '70s and Walter Murphy's "A Fifth of Beethoven" have I heard something so trite:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3_sSnLmJN78&feature=email